Check out the latest from Dave Litman on Maple Leafs, covering NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs’s John Tavares, Kirill Marchenko, Toronto Maple Leafs and more at Sportsnaut.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have received mixed injury updates, with center John Tavares nearing a return while forward Kirill Marchenko remains sidelined. Tavares practiced in a full-contact jersey on Friday, November 6, 2026, and is expected to play Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, insider Darren Dreger reported that Marchenko is still roughly two weeks away from returning from his own lower-body issue sustained on October 26.
Tavares is set to reclaim his spot on the top power-play unit, moving rookie Gavin McKenna down to the second unit. The writer notes that some Maple Leafs fans are displeased with head coach Jim Hiller's decision to demote the 18-year-old rookie, though McKenna expressed understanding regarding the veteran's return.
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